With
its high mountain ranges, plateaus, plains and lakes,
its creek and river beds splashed with hues of purple,
brown, gray, yellow and red, and some of the best
Turkish architecture anywhere, this region of Anatolia
is like a historical documentary on ancient life.
Sumela:
Inside the Altindere National Park is the Sumela
Monastery,45km from Trabzon.
The Sumela Monastery, which is perched on high cliffs
overlooking the Altindere valley, was founded in the
14th century by Alexius III. Inside the monastery is a
church, a library, various other rooms and a sacred
spring.
The
magnificent palace complex of Ishak Pasa, which looks
down upon Dogubeyazit, was built in the later part of
the 17th century by the Ottoman governor, Ishak Pasa.
The site of the castle is superb and it is made up of a
kitchen unit, a mosque and separate women's and men's quarters.
Mount
Ararat (Agri Dagi), whose peak soars up 5165 meters is
important for a number of different faiths. It is
believed that after the Flood, in which all humanity was
destroyed, the ark of Noah came to rest on Mount Ararat
and as the waters receded Noah and his family settled on
the nearby Plain of Igdir. As their numbers increased,
they eventually spread along the Tigris and Euphrates
rivers to other parts of Anatolia.
Lake
Van is Anatolia's beauty center. In order to see all of
this beauty, it is absolutely essential that a tour of
the entire lake be made, during which time the beautiful
mountain silhouettes, bays, beaches, islands and
important Turkish cultural and art centers may be seen.
The city of Van, which lies on the southeastern shores
of the lake, was the capital city of the Urartu empire.
The Van Castle, which was built by the Urartus around
1000 BC, is a dynamic example of the age in which it was
built and is definitely worth seeing. South of Van,
the city of Edremit is a poplar vacation getaway famous
for its beaches, camping spots and restaurants. On the
island of Akdamar is located the Akdamar Museum, which
was originally a 10th century church.
As the Tigris
and Euphrates flow towards the plains of Mesopotamia,
they pass through an important region of Anatolia. Some
of the bigger cities in this region are Diyarbakir,
Mardin, Adiyaman, Sanli Urfa and Gazi Antep. The region
is the oldest cultural settlement center in Anatolia.
North of Diyarbakir is Cayonu, the most important neolithic
settlement of the area. The basalt city walls of
Diyarbakir, which are more than 5 kilometers in length,
have the distinction of being the longest city walls in
the country.
The
prophet Abraham, who is the father of 3 different
faiths, is believed to have lived in Sanli Urfa and
Harran and so they are considered holy places. The
Ataturk Dam, built in the town of Bozova near
Sanli Urfa is the biggest in Turkey and 4th
largest in the world. The lake is surrounded with
beautiful scenic sites. The Plain of Harran with its
vast farmland will be the most productive agricultural region
of the country. Gazi Antep is the most important
industrial and agricultural area in southeastern
Anatolia. We doubt that any visitor who has come all the
way to Gazi Antep will leave without first having tasted
the famous local varieties of kebap, lahmacun and
baklava or without buying a few packages of Antep
pistachios for friends and relatives.
To the northeast of Adiyaman, on top of Mount Nemrut
(Nemrut Dagi) is the mausoleum made for the Commagene
King, Antiochus I. On the east and west of the memorial
grave site are ritual terraces and on these terraces are
gigantic statues of the gods. The best time to see Mount
Nemrut is at sunset. Leaving
Iskenderun to the southeast, the road goes through the
Belen Pass to Antakya (Antioch). This first Christian
community founded by Saint Peter has given Antakya a
special religious significance. The first sermons were
preached in a cave outside the city. It is visited today
by many as a site of pilgrimage. Antakya also has a
mosaic exhibit of unusual beauty in its museum.
Sumela:
Inside the Altindere National Park is the Sumela
Monastery,45km from Trabzon
Mount
Ararat (Agri Dagi), whose peak soars up 5165 meters is
important for a number of different faiths. It is
believed that after the Flood, in which all humanity was
destroyed, the ark of Noah came to rest on Mount Ararat
and as the waters receded Noah and his family settled on
the nearby Plain of Igdir. As their numbers increased,
they eventually spread along the Tigris and Euphrates
rivers to other parts of Anatolia. 
Lake
Van is Anatolia's beauty center. In order to see all of
this beauty, it is absolutely essential that a tour of
the entire lake be made, during which time the beautiful
mountain silhouettes, bays, beaches, islands and
important Turkish cultural and art centers may be seen.
The city of Van, which lies on the southeastern shores
of the lake, was the capital city of the Urartu empire.
The Van Castle, which was built by the Urartus around
1000 BC, is a dynamic example of the age in which it was
built and is definitely worth seeing. South of Van,
the city of Edremit is a poplar vacation getaway famous
for its beaches, camping spots and restaurants. On the
island of Akdamar is located the Akdamar Museum, which
was originally a 10th century church. 
As the Tigris
and Euphrates flow towards the plains of Mesopotamia,
they pass through an important region of Anatolia. Some
of the bigger cities in this region are Diyarbakir,
Mardin, Adiyaman, Sanli Urfa and Gazi Antep. The region
is the oldest cultural settlement center in Anatolia.
North of Diyarbakir is Cayonu, the most important neolithic
settlement of the area. The basalt city walls of
Diyarbakir, which are more than 5 kilometers in length,
have the distinction of being the longest city walls in
the country. 
